


Sandcastles and Seashells

by kakotheres



Series: Just Write! Fluff Bingo 2019 [12]
Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Other, Short One Shot, Threesome - F/M/M, Walk on the beach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-11 20:18:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19933906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kakotheres/pseuds/kakotheres
Summary: Eliot, Alec, and Parker spend some time at the beach, making sandcastles and contemplating seashells.





	Sandcastles and Seashells

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Just Write! Discord server, Fluff Bingo 2019.  
> Prompt: Walk on the Beach.

“I want to go to the beach.” Parkers voice came through crystal clear in Eliot’s ear, Hardison’s tech filtering out the wind that he knew must be there. He’d never let him know, but Eliot was always impressed by Hardison’s gear. You couldn’t tell that Parker was hanging a couple of hundred feet above the ground, dangling off the side of a skyscraper by nothing more than her wiry little muscles and some great quality climbing equipment. The earbuds filtered through all the background noise.

“Seriously, Parker? Is now the best time to be discussing that?” Hardison’s voice carried that note of incredulity he always had when they were bantering in the middle of a high stakes con. You’d think he’d have gotten used to it by now.

“What? I’ve never been to a beach just for fun. We should do that. I haven’t gotten the chance to just…listen to the waves for as long as I wanted to. Also, I’m in. To the building. Looking for the laptop.”

“Ok, sure. We’ll go to the beach.” Eliot chuckled as he imagined the face Hardison must be making as he capitulated to Parker. Exasperated affection was a good look on the other man. “Now can we please focus on this incredibly dangerous and complicated con that we’re trying to run here? Do I need to remind everyone of what’s at stake if this goes wrong? Spoilers guys: it’s mostly Death. With a capital D.”

“Shut up, Hardison,” Eliot muttered as he turned his attention to the two bodyguards who were standing in front of him. “So, you were saying something about this hallway being restricted?”

*****

“Why did it have to be the beach, man? I’m a geek. I love my gadgets and my wires and my electronics. Do you know what doesn’t go with electronics? Sand. Sand everywhere, man.” Hardison raised his hands, waving them around his head.

The three thieves were walking along the deserted coastline, nothing but sand dunes and ocean for miles and miles. Despite the boys’ protests, they had ended up on the beach because Parker wanted to go. At the end of the day, the two of them could never say no to her. She didn’t need to pout or sigh or guilt them. Parker wasn’t Sophie, who manipulated people as easy as breathing – Parker was direct and to the point, in the only way she knew how. And that’s really why they couldn’t say no. Because Parker rarely asked for anything. If she wanted something, she took it herself. But when it came to relationships, stealing things wasn’t really an option. She was slowly learning to ask for the things she wanted from them, rather than just keeping her wants and desires to herself. There wasn’t anything in the world they wouldn’t do for her.

Mid-May wasn’t exactly the ideal time to visit the beaches of Cape Cod. The air still carried a bite, spring slow in coming on the heels of winter. Occasionally, a wave would reach its way up the beach and over their legs, the freezing temperature stealing Eliot’s breath away like a punch to the gut. Even the seagulls were in scare supply. The tourist season wouldn’t be in full swing for months yet. Eliot shivered as a breeze off the waterfront whipped through his clothes. Parker danced around in front of them, seemingly impervious to the cold.

She stopped abruptly in front of them, bending in half and picking up a handful of damp sand. She tightened her fist, packing the sand together in a tight clump before opening her palm, staring at the small lump that sat there. “We should build a sandcastle,” she declared, letting the sand crumble through her fingers and fall back to the beach. “A really big one.”

“Seriously, Parker?” Eliot sighed, watching as she dropped to her knees in the sand.

“Think she’s serious man.” Alec kneeled down beside her, his protests about sand getting everywhere forgotten as he watched Parker run her hands over the beach, a look of wonder in her eyes. “What kind of sandcastle are you thinking? Disney princess style? Great Wall of China? I once saw a picture of someone making a life-sized X-wing starfighter, that would be awesome.”

“That’s not a castle, man.” Eliot crossed his arms. “Stop being such a nerd.”

“A reeeaaaallllyy big one,” Parker repeated, turning to them with a grin.

Eliot sighed. “Ok, have either one of you guys ever actually made a sandcastle before?” He received two blank stares in response. He sighed again. “Alright, first thing we’re going to need is a bucket.”

Parker grinned. “One second.”

“Parker!” Eliot yelled. “Parker, get back here!” She ignored him, racing down the beach and disappearing onto one of the gaps in the dunes. Presumably, she had found one of the wooden walkways that led back to the road. “Dammit, Parker,” Eliot grumbled.

Alec shrugged. “She’ll come back.” A few minutes later, Parker came sauntering towards them, several buckets grasped in her hands.

“They had more, but I figured this would probably be enough.”

“Parker! Where did you get these?” Eliot said.

“They were just sitting in a garage! If someone didn’t want them to be stolen, they should invest in a better system of locks.”

“Did you seriously steal a bunch of buckets from some…” Eliot rubbed a hand over his face. “Ok, I’m just going to ignore everything that about this, for my own sanity.”

Alec rubbed his hands together. “Ok, so buckets have been acquired. What’s next, oh Master of the Sandcastles?”

Eliot glared at him. “I don’t know why I like you.”

“But you do!” Parker said brightly.

Eliot continued like she hadn’t spoken. “So, the key to making a big sandcastle is a good foundation. Wet sand is better – binds together and makes it stronger. You want to either dig down until you hit wet sand, or you want to add some water to your bucket until it’s the right consistency. Here, Parker, give me one of those buckets.”

Parker held one out. A bright purple monstrosity, with unicorns painted on the sides. “This one’s for you, Eliot!”

“Seriously, Parker?”

“You know, you say that a lot.” She hid the arm with the rest of them behind her back. “This one’s definitely yours. The unicorns told me so.”

Eliot glared as he took the offered bucket. “Fine. Now you guys copy me. If you don’t do this part right, the whole thing won’t work. I’m looking at you, Hardison. This ain’t some Minewars shit.”

“MineCRAFT, dude, MineCRAFT. Uggh, I can’t believe I’m in a relationship with someone who doesn’t even know what Minecraft is. I am making such sacrifices for you, man. Unbelievable.”

*****

Several hours and a lot of swearing later, they had built a sandcastle that Parker deemed acceptable.

And by sandcastle, Eliot figured it was better described as a fort. A really big fort. With a moat, and enough space inside the main room for all three of them to sit curled up together. Parker had grabbed both of their hands and made them test that out.

“For later,” she said. “First, I want to go for a walk on the beach. I want to look at shells.”

And so they found themselves slowly meandering down the coastline, Parker occasionally bending down to pick up a shell, turning them over and over again in her small hands, observing each one with a thoughtful look on her face. “You know, the shells are the skeletons of things that have died.”

“Parker, ew!”

“I’m with Eliot, that’s just nasty. Bones are supposed to be inside you. Inside.”

Parker cocked her head to the side, running her hand along the ridged side of the oyster shell. “I think it’s cool. They wear their armor on the outside. Smart. That way they can’t be hurt as easily.”

Eliot looked at Alec. Alec shrugged, holding out his hand for the shell. Parker gave it to him, a questioning look in her eyes. He turned it over, revealing the pearly underside. “The outside of this is great, sure. Helped keep this little guy alive for a long time.” He tapped the smooth underside. “But the inside is worth a look, too.”

*****

“I learned to swim hanging out by the river. There was this great rope swing – we had contests to see who could make it the farthest.”

“My Nana took me to the YMCA. Said I needed to know, just in case. It was an important life skill. We lived in the city, did she think I was just going to drown in a puddle or something? But I’m glad she did. Been useful a time or two.”

“I made myself learn. Jumped off a cliff, figured I’d either learn quickly or drown.” She hesitated. “It worked, eventually.”

Alec tugged her close in between the two of them, tucking his nose into her hair. Eliot rested his hand on Alec’s shoulder, thinking about coping mechanisms and how the three of them were all a lot broken. But their jagged edges fit together somehow. For that, he was the luckiest man in the world.

*****

The sun slowly sank down below the horizon, casting a soft orange glow across the water. The three sat in Parker’s sandcastle, curled around each other, a quiet calm settled between them. Alec was shivering slightly as the temperatures dipped. Even Eliot was feeling the effects of the sand and the water, tiredness pulling at his bones. But Parker looked so peaceful, nestled between the two of them, her hands pressing theirs to her chest, their arms wrapped around her. No one wanted to disturb the peace.

“Can we stay a little longer?” She asked, her eyes on the water in front.

“Sure, Parker.” Alec’s deep voice rolled over Eliot, producing a warmth in his chest that echoed into his bones. “As long as you want.”

The ebb and flow of the waves gently crashing to the shore provided a gentle soundtrack as they continued to rest, content to simply be.

Together.


End file.
